5 things Aomine learns about Kise, and 1 thing he learns about himself
by kaitou-marron
Summary: Apparently my title is too long to fit in the allotted space, so here's the full title: "Five things Aomine learns about Kise after they become roommates (and one thing he learns about himself)." And here's the summary: As Aomine observes Kise, he realizes he becomes more and more transfixed with the other boy. (AoKise)


**1) Kise's ability to copy covers a broader scope than Aomine expects, much to his benefit**

Aomine is lazier than most people imagine. He could care less about cooking, cleaning, or other domestic chores. However, he fails to anticipate how skilled Kise is at almost everything. Although he would never admit it to anybody, Aomine loves watching cooking shows with the other boy. After an episode ends, he demands that Kise cook any number of the dishes they've just seen prepared. Aomine suspects the other boy does not enjoy his new found entertainment (as Kise always sighs and shakes his head before going to the kitchen), but he's happy that Kise obliges his whims.

**2) Kise carries a sense of professional duty much higher than most people his age**

Soon after Aomine and Kise move into together, Kise's manager decides to add acting to Kise's repertoire. The blond agrees to this career progression with an easy-going smile. Aomine observes as the other boy proceeds to do nothing but watch dramas and movies with frightening intensity and focus. At one point Aomine has the silly notion of trying to interrupt the other boy.

"Not now, Aominecchi," Kise says flatly, his eyes never leaving the screen. "I'm working."

After a week passes, Aomine swears that Kise's ability to memorize scripts and evoke emotions using his voice, facial expressions, and posture is just as good as anyone currently appearing on television or in cinema.

**3) Kise puts more effort into preserving his appearance than any man should**

Walking into the shared bathroom always amazes Aomine, who finds the sheer quantity of beauty products Kise owns terrifying. Numerous bottles of creams and gels, baffling in purpose, line the counter in neat stacks. He brushes a finger across a jar and reads the label with a dubious expression on his face, "Skin-firming serum infused with caffeine." He shakes his head and leaves the room with a disgusted sigh. As Aomine enters the common room, he sees Kise perched on the couch chatting excitedly on his cell phone.

"Yeah, sis, I did get the newest facial mask you sent in the mail today. I'm trying it out now. I only hope it's as good as the whitening mask you sent last month. Uh-huh. Yeah, I'll let you know. Byeeeeee!"

With a lively bounce, Kise turns around to face Aomine. "Hi, Aominecchi," he says brightly.

Aomine's jaw drops with shock. He forces his mouth shut and then blinks just to make sure he's not hallucinating. "What the hell is on your face? You look like you have leprosy."

Kise's bottom lip quivers slightly before turning downward into a pout. "Waaaaaaah, don't make fun of me, Aominecchi. It's a gift from my sister, a super moisturizing facial mask!"

Tentatively, Aomine edges closer to Kise, his nose picking up a subtle scent. "And why does your, whatever you called it, smell like bananas? If you want to smash a banana on your face, I'd gladly do it for you. I'll even spring for the banana."

Kise looks insulted. "It's honey, oats, and avocado."

"Yeah, because the type of fruit you're smearing over your face is what I have an issue with," Aomine mutters rolling his eyes. Inspiration flashes in Aomine's mind, and he pulls out his mobile phone turning on the camera mode. Wielding the device threateningly, he asks, "What would your fans think if they could see you like this?"

Kise responds with an undignified squawk. Throwing his hands up in front of his face, he pleads, "No pictures. I have to take care of my face. It's my money maker!"

Aomine almost drops his phone in surprise. This childish Kise has Aomine trading in mock-blackmail in favor of laughter, peals of unstoppable laughter. "Your money-maker?" he teases gasping for air.

Part of Aomine wants to reward Kise's stupidity by throwing a nearby couch pillow at him, while the other part wants hug the other boy for being so hilariously entertaining. He opts for the latter, the startled look on Kise's face adding to his enjoyment.

"Don't worry," Aomine reassures. "Your secret is safe with me." He releases his hold on the other boy and chuckles all the way to his room.

**4) Kise shines more brightly than anybody else**

When Aomine and Kise become roommates, the tow-headed boy becomes the most dominating presence in Aomine's life. Whether the two of them are playing basketball, watching television, or just lounging around, he finds his attention and gaze drawn to the other boy. He attributes this habit to having a roommate whose company he enjoys.

On a lazy, Saturday morning, Aomine finds himself quite content sitting at the dining room table drinking coffee and watching the blond make matcha pancakes. This peaceful, comfortable moment evokes Aomine's thoughtful side. He remembers during middle school Kise once told him that he was like a dark storm: intense, sudden, and all consuming. During that time, Aomine quipped that Kise should leave the poetry to people who actually knew what they were doing.

Aomine wonders if Kise still has this impression of him, and his thoughts wander to how he would describe Kise, who has that reassuring smile and infectious laugh. Aomine realizes that the other boy's dazzling, agreeable personality provides a perfect foil for the rest of the Generation of Miracles, who can be described as quirky at best. Aomine finally has the perfect answer to Kise's simile, albeit several years too late. '_If I'm like a dark storm, then you are like the sun. Because no matter how fierce a storm is, the clouds will eventually part, and the sun will shine brightly and reign supreme.' _

Aomine believes Kise has been blessed with a charisma that only comes along once in a lifetime. The blond will undoubtedly make his mark on society with his good heart, innate ability to connect with others, and media influence.

'_I'm really lucky.'_ The thought pops into Aomine's mind unprompted. Kise could be living up his commercial success elsewhere but chooses to stay with Aomine in modest quarters. '_While we were at Teikou, where only basketball mattered, we stood on similar ground. But, here, in the real world, Kise exists on a higher plane than I will ever be able to reach.' _ In his daze Aomine misses the fact that Kise has set a plate in front of him.

"Huh?" Aomine asks, his gaze shifting towards Kise's face.

"Pay attention," Kise scolds playfully. "I was just saying that these meals are going to be the death of me. I'm going to have to go to the gym later today."

"You're fine," Aomine tells him dismissively. "You're still actively playing basketball."

Kise casually lifts up his shirt and pats his stomach. "This doesn't take care of itself," he says with a pout.

Aomine's focus redirects to Kise's mid-section. Swallowing hard, his eyes linger over the expanse of pale skin drawn taught over muscle. For some unexplainable reason, he feels the urge to smooth a palm against Kise's bared skin, and his eyes widen with shock. The fact that his long-time friend elicits this type of response defies logic.

'_What the hell is wrong with me?'_ he asks himself. Looking down, he notices that his hands are shaking. '_Don't you even think about doing anything weird or freakish,' _he commands his appendages.

Before Aomine realizes it, Kise kneels down in front of him. Amber eyes peer up worriedly. "Are you okay, Aominecchi?"

Kise's hair shimmers like molten gold, and Aomine fights the impulse to brush strands of the shining locks from the other boy's eyes. Clenching his fists tightly, Aomine insists, "I'm fine. Let's just eat."

"Okay," Kise says with a shrug. He gets up and sits at the table starting conversation on another topic easily.

* * *

Later that morning, Aomine calls Momoi requesting a digital copy of Kise's file.

"What do you want it for?" she asks suspiciously.

"I don't know," Aomine says truthfully. "I feel like I'm missing something with him, and I need to figure it out." He leaves out the part about almost molesting Kise during breakfast and the fact that even thinking about the other boy causes his stomach to twist and turn.

"Missing something," Momoi repeats softly, her voice thoughtful. "Okay, Dai-chan, I'll send you a digital copy of my data on Kise. I hope you find what you're looking for."

Twenty minutes later, Aomine turns on his laptop and begins pouring through Kise's magazine photo-shoots and interviews (all labeled, dated, and sorted in chronological order, courtesy of Momoi). In Kise's first photo-shoot, a purity shines through and acts like a time machine pulling Aomine back to middle school, and to his and Kise's first meeting. As undignified as it was, what with the run-away basketball and head-whacking, Aomine remembers his first impression of the other boy clearly. _'Kise Ryouta is unforgettable.'_ This sentiment still holds true.

As Aomine studies the picture of Tekiou-student-Kise, he's surprised to see baby fat on the other boy's cheeks. He hadn't remembered that detail. Flipping through the collection of photographs, Aomine watches fondly as the blond-haired boy matures in front of his eyes. He notices that upon entering high school, Kise's face loses its softness, and boyish good-looks transform into stunningly handsome features. Aomine's heart rate quickens as his fingers reach out to touch the image on the screen, when he's interrupted by a knocking at the door.

"Aominecchi!" Kise exclaims bursting into the room before getting permission to enter.

Aomine panics and slams his laptop shut.

Kise quickly switches his attention from whatever topic he barged in to talk about to Aomine's odd behavior. "Ehh, what were you looking at, Aominecchi?" The blond eyes the notebook computer suspiciously. "Did I catch you looking at porn?" With that, Kise lunges at Aomine targeting the handheld computer.

"What the hell!" Aomine cries leaping out of his chair and holding the laptop protectively behind him. "This thing is password protected. So it doesn't even matter if you get it."

Kise ignores Aomine's words and reaches for the portable computer, which Aomine tosses safely on his bed. The unpredictable movement causes the blond to stumble. Aomine reacts by stepping back…straight into a power strip that he promptly trips over. Losing his footing, Aomine finds himself sitting down hard. Seconds later Kise, unable to keep his balance, collapses on all fours so that he hovers over Aomine.

An awkward silence fills the room as both young men stay frozen in place. Kise finally breaks the hushed atmosphere with a slightly breathless and embarrassed, "Hi."

Aomine can still smell the maple syrup from breakfast on the other boy's breath. '_I wonder what he tastes like,' _Aomine thinks, unable to help himself. His active imagination gleefully supplies him with images of claiming Kise's mouth with his own and sliding his tongue between the other boy's parted lips. Aomine flushes, confused, shocked, and slightly turned on by his fantasy. '_Kise is my friend, an old friend, only a friend,'_ Aomine reminds himself trying to regulate his breathing.

"Don't, "hi" me, you moron," Aomine says gruffly. Still flustered, he tries to back away from the blond. As his hands propel him backwards, his fingers brush against Kise's. The jolt of electricity Aomine feels at the contact causes him to pull away. However, the other boy reaches for him at the same time, the mismatched forces resulting in Kise tumbling head first into Aomine's chest. The collision causes Aomine to pitch backwards, and he instinctively wraps his arms around the blond bracing them for the fall.

Aomine's body hits the ground with an unceremonious thump. While the pain of impact subsides, he holds Kise close enjoying the feel of the other boy's warmth cradled against him. When Kise shifts in Aomine's embrace, their hips push together. Aomine's body reacts, blood, heat, and desire gathering below the waist. Horrified, he throws the other boy off of him.

As Kise pulls himself off the floor, Aomine detects a glimmer of hurt shining in the other boy's eyes. However, any indication of sadness disappears so quickly that Aomine assumes his was mistaken.

Kise flashes a smile as he jokingly says, "If you wanted me off so desperately, you shouldn't have been holding me so tightly in the first place, Aominecchi."

Even though Kise's words have a light-hearted tone and are made in jest, the truth in them resonates with Aomine. His jaw clenches, and he keeps his eyes on the floor refusing to meet Kise's gaze.

"Let me help you up," Kise offers reaching out to Aomine, who remains motionless. With a disapproving click of the tongue, Kise grabs Aomine's hand.

With Kise's fingers grasping his, Aomine feels a tingling heat spread throughout his body, and he immediately jerks away from Kise's grip as if he's been burned.

"Don't touch me," Aomine blurts out. He doesn't want to process these unexpected emotions tied to his old friend, and if Kise touches him again, he won't have any choice but to think and feel. When Aomine looks up at Kise, the stricken expression on the other boy's face catches him off guard. Aomine is sure he's imagining things once again. However, this time Kise's good humor doesn't recover.

Feeling his heart plummet, Aomine tries to back track. "I didn't mean it like that."

"How exactly did you mean it?" Kise asks averting his gaze.

Kise's actions fail to hide the moisture building up in his eyes, the wetness clinging to long, dark lashes. Taken aback, Aomine stumbles through a clumsy excuse. "I mean, I don't need your help. I'm fine."

The words do nothing to wipe the unhappiness from Kise's face. "Alright, then," he replies softly. "I'll just leave you alone."

As Kise turns to leave, Aomine feels as if he should say or do something; he doesn't want to leave misunderstandings between himself and the other boy. When he opens his mouth, he realizes that he's unable to offer any clarification, because he doesn't understand what truly transpired.

Aomine sits in a dazed silence after Kise's departure, the pained look on the other boy's face haunting him. Those golden eyes, always so expressive, had been filled with unshed tears. With a burning sensation beginning to prick against his eyelids, Aomine thinks he might cry as well. His gut tells him that he should find Kise as soon as possible; however, Aomine has never dealt well with emotions and doesn't know what to say to make the situation better.

His telephone conversation with Momoi earlier that day replays in his head, and now more than ever he's convince he's missing something where Kise's concerned. Aomine knows he's not the kind of person to figure it out on his own. Talking to the other boy would probably be the quickest way to dissipate the confusion. As he pulls himself off the floor to find his roommate, Aomine hears the front door slam shut; the sound of the lock clicking in place fills him with dread.

**5) Kise is in love with Aomine (and Aomine is in love with Kise)**

Aomine awakens the next morning in a sour mood. As he twists his head gingerly, he realizes that he had fallen asleep on the couch in the common room while waiting for Kise to come home. Aomine's eyes survey the apartment quickly, and his heart plummets. He can always tell when Kise has been away from their apartment for too long. Their shared living space feels cold and empty, as if Kise is the life of their home, the warmth seeping out once the blond is gone.

Last night wouldn't be the first time Kise has been away overnight (due to work commitments), but it would mark the first time that Kise has failed to let Aomine know. Refusing to wait any longer, Aomine pulls out his cell phone and dials Kise's number. The call forwards straight to voice mail. "Hi you've reached-"

With a frustrated sigh, Aomine hangs up. Kise has never ignored him before, and a sense of foreboding settles into Aomine's bones. _Something_ about what happened yesterday triggered this situation, and Aomine's one-track mind focuses on finding the other boy to fix this misunderstanding. He spends the rest of the day alternately bouncing between Kise's favorite places (parks, basketball courts, and restaurants) and leaving the other boy voice messages (of the "call me back, you moron" sort).

With each passing location Aomine searches, his annoyance rises. However, when day turns to night, his irritation fades into pure concern. Had Kise always been this fragile? Had Aomine's refusal of Kise's help been overly rough and cold? These thoughts cycle through Aomine's head, but he can't quite make sense of it.

As Sunday night passes, with no word from Kise, Aomine's stomach starts twisting every which way. He falls asleep with the other boy on his mind, and when he awakens, his dreams leave him with a vivid image of Kise straddling him. He swears he can still feel Kise's fingers clutching at his shoulders, Kise's lips pressing gentle kisses against his throat, and Kise's hips moving seductively against his.

Aomine hasn't felt this miserably and awkwardly aroused since adolescence, and he knows he needs to either take care of himself or subject himself to a very cold shower. Weighing his choices, he decides on the second option hoping it will help clear his mind. However, the icy water fails to stop his mind from supplying memories of Kise; he runs through dozens before focusing on Kise saying "Aominecchi" with a smile on his lips and joy in his eyes.

Aomine wishes he could hear Kise calling out to him now knowing it would ease some of the tightness in his chest. At that moment, he realizes he can no longer deny the truth. '_Oh, shit. I sort of love him.'_ Once the thought sinks in, a new sense of urgency compels Aomine to find Kise.

After quickly finishing his shower, Aomine resigns himself to contacting others for their insight on the blond. He pulls up Kise's sister's number and hesitates briefly, since the two of them have never really gotten along (which he attributes to her overprotective nature towards Kise). With a heavy sigh, he hits dial before he loses nerve.

"Aomine-kun?" The voice on the other line sounds surprised. "It's rare for you to be calling me. Is something wrong with Ryouta?"

"N-nothing's the matter," Aomine starts shakily. "I was just wondering if you've spoken to Kise lately."

Kise's sister pauses before saying, "No, the last time I talked to Ryouta was last week. What's wrong?"

Aomine hears the concern in her voice. "Nothing," he says as confidently as he can. The last thing he wants is Kise's sister asking all sorts of uncomfortable questions. "I'm sure he's just busy with some job or another. If you talk to that idiot, tell him to call me."

From the other side of the line, Kise's sister sighs disapprovingly. "I see that you're as crude with your words as ever, Aomine-kun. If you're not nicer, even someone as good-natured and optimistic as my baby brother will get discouraged."

Before Aomine can ask for clarification, he's hears a click indicating disconnection. Heart racing, Aomine wonders what she meant about Kise getting "discouraged." This off-handed observation appears to describe the situation Aomine finds himself in perfectly but provides no reasoning. Knowing he won't be able to extract any more information from Kise's sister, Aomine switches his attention back to finding Kise.

Aomine contacts Kise's agent next and receives an immediate answer. "Aomine-kun?"

"Hi, I was wondering if you could tell me Kise's schedule for the next couple days."

"Huh. That's strange of him not to have told you. But, then again, Kise-kun's been acting a little oddly the last couple of days. He has a morning interview for that talk show on channel 6 that airs at 10 a.m. today. After that, he's free for the rest of today. He starts shooting for the new drama he's in tomorrow."

"Thanks," Aomine says, and then hangs up. If he doesn't find Kise before the drama shooting, the other boy could potentially be unavailable for weeks. Desperation flares through Aomine now that he knows he's working against a deadline. With the time still glowing brightly on his cell phone, Aomine realizes that it's almost 10 a.m. He turns the television on and waits for Kise's interview.

On air, Kise appears as charming as ever with his easy smile and natural grace. However, Aomine knows Kise better than anyone else, and he can tell that something is amiss. Kise's eyes don't sparkle with their full intensity, and his posture looks drawn.

Once Kise makes his departure with a final wave at cheering fans, Aomine turns off the television and readies himself to continue his search, guilt motivating him now more than ever. An incoming call interrupts him, and hope swells in Aomine's chest until he looks at the caller information. He answers grumpily, "Satsuki, what is it?"

"I just saw Ki-chan's latest live interview, and he's not his usual self. Do you know what's wrong with him?" she asks, worry tinting her voice.

"How am I supposed to know? I'm not Kise's keeper. I haven't heard from him in the last couple of days," Aomine spits out. He knows that he's unfairly taking his frustration out on Momoi, but he enjoys the feeling of unleashing some of his annoyance.

On the other end, Momoi goes silent. After a long pause, she requests a pointed distinction. "You haven't _seen_ him or _heard _from him?"

"Heard from him, okay," Aomine answers gruffly.

"That's not like Ki-chan at all," she comments. "He's always been good at communicating, even when he's on location. He even sent me a text before his interview reminding me not to miss it. Did something happen between the two of you, Dai-chan?"

"Why would you even assume something like that?" Aomine responds defensively. Since he's not entirely comfortable with his newly discovered feelings for Kise, he's unsure about how honest he wants to be with his oldest friend.

"Well you did ask for his file two days ago, and you said you haven't heard from him in two days," she points out dryly.

With a sigh, Aomine retells his and Kise's last conversation, leaving out all of the sexual awkwardness. "And so he fell on me. I pushed him off, and he left all upset," Aomine finishes.

Momoi sighs softly. "Dai-chan, who do you think I am? I can tell when you're hiding things from me. You can be honest with me. I'll always be here for you."

Trust Momoi to cut to the heart of the matter quickly. With her encouragement, Aomine's control slips, and his pent up emotions tumble out as vulnerable confessions. "Kise looked so hurt, and I couldn't help but feel as if I'd done something awful to him… to us. Satsuki, I'm scared I won't be able to find him and that I won't be able to make it better."

"You're still skirting the issue. Why exactly do you feel so desperate and scared? You have to say it, or you'll never truly acknowledge it. I know this is the way you work, and you do, too. So just tell me, so you can move forward." Momoi's tone is kind but firm.

Aomine closes his eyes and manages to grind out the truth. "Lately I've been having fantasies about touching and kissing Kise. It caught me off-guard, and you know how I'm shit at dealing with this emotional crap. So I've been behaving oddly around him. But, I think I may be in love with him." He pauses waiting for Momoi to react in an appropriately surprised fashion.

"Dai-chan, you might not have realized this, but you've had feelings for Ki-chan for a while now."

Aomine frowns. This was not the response he was expecting. "What?" he asks.

Momoi giggles. "I've had suspicions for years, but it's become pretty obvious lately. You just aren't very honest with yourself."

"Well, why didn't you tell me, then?" Aomine demands.

"Some things lose their meaning if you don't figure them out yourself. Plus, if I tried to clue you in earlier, you would have denied it. You were barely able to admit it now."

Momoi's observations shut Aomine up momentarily. "So what do you suggest that I do, then?" he finally asks.

"Find Ki-chan and fix things between the two of you," Momoi answers without hesitation.

"Are you telling me to confess to Kise? Or are you trying to say that he has feelings for me, too?"

"I'm not saying any of that," Momoi says with a sigh. "It's not my place to tell you what you should do about your feelings. And if Ki-chan has told me anything in confidence, which I'm not saying is necessarily the case, I wouldn't betray his trust. I'm just saying that you need to take responsibility for the repercussions of your actions."

"You can be a real bitch sometimes," Aomine complains.

"I know that's just your frustration talking, so I'm going to take the high road and forgive you."

"What if Kise doesn't feel the same way, and I end up losing him altogether if I confess to him? What if he won't want anything to do with me?"

Momoi laughs. "It's odd hearing you worry about what others will think, Dai-chan" she teases. She then grows serious. "I guess you'll just have to weigh Kise's potential reaction and the way things are now. Do you really want to leave things like this, cold and unfinished? And do you really have such a low opinion of Ki-chan that you think he'd just toss you aside even if he doesn't feel the same way?"

"No," Aomine answers somewhat begrudgingly. "He'll handle things with grace and dignity."

"I guess you know what you need to do then," Momoi says.

Aomine squeezes his eyes shut. _'Sure, you mean make things incredibly awkward between Kise and myself.'_ Aloud, he says, "Yeah, I do."

"I'll help you track Ki-chan down. In the meantime, why don't you just reflect on what you want to say to him."

Aomine spends the next two hours thinking about his feelings for Kise and how best to articulate them. He doesn't want to put any pressure on his friend, and he doesn't want to create an awkward situation. In the end, Aomine merely comes to the conclusion that he just stinks at dealing with emotions.

When the phone rings, Aomine expects to see Momoi's name flashing across the screen. However, for the second time today, the identity of the caller surprises him.

"Tetsu, what is it?"

"Aomine-kun, I have something that belongs to you," Kuroko's voice, like always, is soft but certain.

In the background, Aomine hears Kise wailing, "Kurokocchi, you traitor! You said you weren't going to call Aominecchi."

The thought of Kise purposefully avoiding him to this extent sends a chill through his body. "Keep him there, Tetsu. I'm coming right away."

Aomine hears Kuroko address Kise in the background. "Aomine-kun says he's coming to fetch you right away. Isn't that good news for you, Kise-kun?"

At first, Kise's response is unintelligible from Aomine's end. And then an indignant shout rings clearly. "Hey. What are you doing? Kagamicchi, let me go! I want to leave!"

"You'd better come soon. We are having some problems restraining Kise-kun," Kuroko says, and then ends the call.

A subway ride and short walk later, Aomine stands in front of the intercom of the building Kuroko rents from. He dials the number associated with Kuroko's unit and waits until he hears a click. "Tetsu, it's me. Let me up."

"Ok." A soft buzz indicates that the front door to the building has been unlocked.

Aomine hurries to the elevator and soon finds himself knocking on a familiar door. Kuroko invites Aomine in with no fanfare, merely turning his head to indicate Kise sullenly sitting at the end of the hallway with Kagami guarding him like a watchdog.

Aomine shakes his head at the comical scene. Even with his emotions in turmoil, Kise can still bring a smile to his lips. "I suppose I have Satsuki to thank for this, Tetsu?"

"She called. But I let you know, because Kise-kun is insufferable like this. Fix it."

Under the scrutiny of Kuroko's gaze, Aomine nods and approaches Kise, who shoots him a tragic, pitiful expression.

"Aominecchi, Kurokocchi and Kagamicchi are being awful to—" The theatrics stop mid-sentence, as Kise appears to remember that the two of them are fighting.

"Come home, you idiot," Aomine orders gruffly.

Kise flinches at Aomine's harsh tone. "No, I'd rather stay here," he answers. "Kurokocchi said I could stay as long as I wanted."

"I said nothing of the sort," Kuroko interjects.

Kise looks betrayed. "Waaaaaaaah! Nobody wants me around," he laments.

With a loud exhale, Aomine says, "I do. I want you to come home, Kise."

When Kise looks up, a child-like joy shines his eyes, but then cold resolve snaps back in place. "No, I have to give you your space. I did something to make you angry, overstepped my boundaries or something. I'll try better in the future not to get in your way."

"Idiot," Aomine says again. "You didn't do anything wrong. I was being moody." Aomine offers his hand to Kise, inwardly realizing the irony inherent to the situation. The tow-headed boy eyes the extended limb suspiciously. Just when Aomine is sure that Kise will refuse his help, the other boy hesitantly reaches for him.

Today when Aomine's fingers contact Kise's, the rush of warmth he feels brings only relief. _'I can get him back. I'll get him back. He'll be my Kise.'_ The proprietary thought causes Aomine to tighten his grip on the blond as the two of them head towards the door. "I'm not letting go, you moron. So don't even think about running again."

Aomine is vaguely aware of Kuroko and Kagami watching him and Kise with amused expressions on their faces, but with Kise by his side, he can't be bothered to care.

As Kise and Aomine walk to the subway, Aomine asks, "You don't mind me holding your hand in public?"

Kise smiles sweetly. "I think you're overestimating my popularity. And if someone does recognize me, it'll give the tabloids something to talk about."

When their eyes meet, Aomine reads Kise's gaze, which transmits, _'You said you wouldn't let go.'_ Aomine reflexively laces his fingers through Kise's and hopes the two of them manage to be discreet all the way home. When they are safely in the confines of their apartment, Aomine says softly, "We're home, so I'm letting go, now. But don't you run."

Kise looks slightly disoriented but nods. After both young men leave their shoes at the entrance, Kise finally finds his tongue. "So, everything is okay with us, right? Back to normal. Let's just forget all about Saturday."

When Aomine studies Kise's face, he sees that the other boy desperately seeks acceptance of the previously stated terms.

"Is that what you really want?" Aomine asks. "For things to go back to normal?"

Squeezing his eyes shut, Kise says, "They can't keep on going like this. So just let me apologize for bursting into your room, for trying to get your laptop, and for invading your space. It wasn't my intention to bother you to the point that you didn't want me around."

Kise's words hit Aomine like a kick to the gut. "Is that what you thought? I told you that you weren't at fault. I was being moody. Was I really that harsh, that awful to you?"

Kise hesitates choosing his words carefully. "I let your reaction get to me."

Aomine studies Kise's vulnerable expression. Something inside urges him on, _'Just tell him, you coward.' _

"Kise, I—" Aomine pauses. The words won't come; he's never been good with them anyway. He tries again, "I…"

Confusion replaces the sadness on Kise's face. "What are you trying to say, Aominecchi?"

Exhaling heavily, he manages to spit out, "Let's not go back to normal. Let's… let's start something new." He eyes focus on Kise's feet, because he doesn't have the confidence to meet Kise's gaze straight-on.

"Huh?" Kise asks.

After a long silence, curiosity causes Aomine's eyes to dart upwards just in time to see realization of his intent registering in Kise's eyes.

"Oh," the other boy says, sucking in a quick breath. The blond-haired boy studies Aomine. "Are you suggesting that you and I…" A flush colors Kise's cheeks, as he awkwardly fails to articulate the sentiment.

"Not if you don't want to." The words tumble out of Aomine's mouth quickly. "Nevermind. It was stupid of me to even say anything." This moment replicates Aomine's worst fears, and he makes a dash for the front door.

Kise's voice, clear and confident stops him. "I never said I didn't want to."

Aomine pauses. '_What?'_ His brain struggles to process Kise's words. '_I'm…not being rejected,'_ he thinks, the tension in his body dissipating. When Aomine feels Kise's hand on his shoulder, he turns around to face the other boy.

Relief, joy, and wonder shine in Kise's pretty, golden eyes. Although Aomine has never prided himself for being able to discern others' emotions, Kise's animated face has always been easy for him to interpret. He wonders, '_How long have you had feelings for me? How long have I made you wait for me to figure things out? What can I do to repay you for your patience?'_

His brain only comes up with one answer. Not one to overthink things, Aomine simply leans over and presses his lips against Kise's. The other boy reacts by wrapping his arms around Aomine's waist and pulling Aomine close.

Aomine discovers that Kise's lips have a nice fullness to them, soft and inviting. When he slips his tongue in Kise's mouth, Kise responds with a soft moan that causes heat to rush through Aomine's body. Kise's tongue is slick and moves with certainty against his. And for a moment, Aomine is aware of only Kise – the way Kise tastes, the way Kise feels in his arms, and the way Kise responds to him.

Kise pulls away first. "Aominecchi," he murmurs with a throaty purr that Aomine is sure is calculated to make him as turned on as possible.

"My room, now," Aomine orders hoarsely.

"Whatever for?" Kise asks with feigned innocence. But then he shoots Aomine a positively sinful look with smoldering eyes and a knowing smirk before moving towards Aomine's bedroom.

"I'm making up for lost time, for every day that I made you wait for me."

Kise stops mid-step and looks back, shock clearly written on his face. "How did you… How long have you known?"

"I just figured it out moments ago," Aomine replies. "Your eyes are too damn expressive. I can read your every thought." Aomine closes the distance between the two of them and urges the other boy forward with a firm pat on the rear.

"Hey," Kise protests. "That's my ass."

"It's mine now," Aomine says with a wicked grin as he ushers Kise into his room and shuts door behind them.

**Author's Notes: **This fic drove me slightly nuts while I was writing it. There were times I wanted to bang my head on the desk and other times I thought I'd never arrive at a final product I was satisfied with. I hope you guys all enjoyed it. As always, feedback is welcome, so comment/fav/kudos away if the mood strikes you. That, and I have an idea for a long fic that I'm already feeling overwhelmed by and discouraged about, so I'd like to know whether or not I'm doing the characters justice.


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